VortexBFForever

My friend Kaeli had her interview today and she got hired! She will be working in the "North Pie" of Planet Snoopy! On a side note: 6 days until my Orientation.

If I want a great view (as I love seeing the track right in front of me in the inversions) I choose 1-1; 2-1 is my backup choice if I'm not in the mood to wait the extra time for 1-1. For airtime, 7-1 is my go-to row; if there is already someone waiting for 7-1 but 6-1 and/or 6-2 is open, I ride there instead. Occasionally I ride in the middle. 3-1 is a pretty good place to ride, as I found out this past Closing Day. Since my job involves test riding, I'll have plenty of times to experience and maybe find a "hidden gem" row/seat. Who knows...

Since I had posted my uniform picture (also my new KIC profile picture) on my Instagram, a number of my classmates brought it up at lunch today, one of whom also loves Vortex. A lot of them hope to come visit me when they're at the Island this summer. It'll be so fun seeing so many friends! Speaking of friends, one of my friends, Kaeli, who graduated from my high school last year, applied for a position in Rides and got a phone call for an interview. She mentioned to the person on the phone that she knows me, so she has a chance of maybe ending up on my crew, if she is offered a position and if the WindSeeker/Vortex crew is one of the options! Kaeli's interview is this Sunday, the 12th, at 1 p.m. Fingers crossed that she gets the job!

I had my Processing appointment this morning, bright and early at 9 a.m. I arrived 20 minutes early which paid off greatly; I recommend to my fellow associates that you arrive early to your appointments as well. It's always better to err on the side of early rather than late -- which I am sure many of us know from experience. I was in and out in about an hour. The most exciting part was obviously having my associate ID issued and my uniforms checked out, though my uniform shorts are apparently a bit snug (my belt hangs loosely even when it's buckled in the last hole!). I'll have to exchange them for the next size or two larger at Associate Services when I return for Orientation on the 18th (13 days!). When I got back to my car I looked at my uniforms, nametags and ID for a solid five minutes out of sheer excitement. It's so cool yet surreal for me to see a Kings Island nametag with my own name on it! That being said, I hope my fellow associates feel just as excited!

That would be a great idea. So many of us are now KI associates! -BFF, making her first post at age 18, which she has been since approximately 22 minutes ago.

Knowing me, it would be pretty obvious to say that I would most certainly re-ride Vortex again and again. And yes, I am one who is not bothered by its roughness. I like to say I'm "immune." And I'm also a person who believes once isn't enough, especially when she talks about riding the same ride that turned her upside down for the first time (along with the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth times) and which was also "love at first ride!" The backbone of my insanely high Vortex ride count (317 as of now) is marathons (during what I've called "booster trips" because during such KI trips my count is boosted!) which of course happened in the days of Kings Island's generous re-ride policy prior to mid-2015 (which I miss very much). My most notable "booster trip" was on October 14, 2012, when a huge storm was supposed to pass through the Kings Island area but it missed and instead went north. That wonderful circumstance resulted in nonexistent lines which allowed me to ride Vortex eighteen (18) times straight, which lasted through the little rain shower we did get, all the way to when the setting sun reappeared. That day was so special. Thanks to my stomach of steel, I didn't feel sick afterward. I do have yet to ride Vortex more than ten times in one day since I last did so in 2013 if I remember correctly. Hopefully that will change since I'll be working on Vortex's crew this season! I seem to have a way with Arrow coasters, especially loopers, as I so far have not ridden an Arrow I didn't like! Call me weird if you want to, because that is the truth. I am not a normal person.

On my second ever ride on The Beast (which was around 2009 or so) the train was going through the second tunnel when I (who rode near the front) and another rider who rode near the back of the train started screaming back and forth between each other as if we were communicating entirely via screams. It was pretty interesting. And to answer the question (while taking the thread title quite literally), yes. As long as you yell or scream loud enough, the other riders will hear you in the tunnel.

I'd love to do this! I may have to attend Wizard of Oz practice at my school on April 13th as it is just one week before our opening night, but either way I'll raise money for a good cause should I participate!

Yay!!! Welcome to my crew!! I'm not the only new Vortex/WindSeeker crew member on here anymore!!

Games accepts 15-year-olds as well.

When I see/hear something that remotely reminds me of Kings Island and "Best Job Ever" gets stuck in my head. Also, I've found myself "practicing" things I'll likely be doing a lot on my #KIBestJob (thanks, WailsLikeABanshee ) -- in fact, just a few minutes ago after reading the 2017 2018 2019 thread I was saying, "Welcome back, WindSeekers; how was your flight?"

Good luck Josh! Don't forget to relax, show your enthusiasm about the opportunity, and just be yourself! (And don't forget a good handshake and eye contact! )

I second that. I've been hoping and praying for the last two seasons that Vortex itself (and not just its sign) can/will get new paint for its 30th anniversary! Last year, the bold orange on the trains made the track look yellow...

^I do! That's really cool!

I can see the pictures now. I don't why I couldn't before.

1. Finding and riding the Grand Carousel, the very first ride I ever rode at Kings Island. I rode it five times, primarily because my ecstatic eight-year-old self couldn't get over its grand-ness. 2. Vortex, in case you haven't figured out. It was love at first ride... 3. Coney Mall. Gotta love the classic midway! 4. Cuddle Up (the teacups). My mom isn't a big amusement park fan but she loves teacup rides...as we found out when we rode Busch Gardens Williamsburg's teacup ride, the Turkish Delight. I also really would love King Cobra, since I loved Shockwave at Kings Dominion and I miss it. 5. Working at Vortex and WindSeeker this summer!!!!

Glad you had fun. I wish I could see the pictures.

I know how you feel, Xdog42. I'm the only hard-core roller coaster enthusiast in my family, so riding alone is second nature to me. Usually I don't talk to anyone unless I'm asking another single rider if it's okay to ride with them (they usually say yes). But occasionally, I end up striking up a conversation with another person in front of or behind me in line, and that's always nice. One of the coolest things about being a single rider is that you never know when you'll find a new friend! And if that friend is also from KICentral, then there's a bonus.

^^First of all, wait patiently. I applied on December 12, was contacted on January 18 and interviewed on January 25. Chances are they'll contact you in February as they make their way through the applications received. It's still fairly early in their hiring season (from what I can tell), so there's a good chance you'll be contacted, interviewed, and most likely hired on the spot. Second, refer back to the advice that fellow KICers have graciously provided in this thread. In fact, out of excitement, I've already read through the whole thread four times over and I actually am thinking about doing just that once I finish typing this very post! Third, when you are interviewed (providing they contact you, which, like I said before, is quite likely), just be yourself. Relax! Dress to impress (specifically business casual)! I don't know how interviews go for Admissions since I'm in the Rides Department, but I was interviewed alongside another person and we were asked questions (of course) which of course were about Kings Island, filled out a paper each with important questions regarding the job, and did some team activities. But like I said, what I described is a Rides interview, so an Admissions interview would likely be different. Fourth, practice makes perfect! Practice answering common interview questions! There are numerous job interview tip videos on YouTube that provide extremely helpful information. I practiced for my interview and actually ended up being more prepared than what my interview called for. Better to be overprepared than under, I'll say! I'm still on Cloud Nine just thinking about the fact that I am now a Rides Associate on Vortex and WindSeeker! I can hardly wait for my processing/orientation/training in March, the first of which is 43 days away!!!

When I count down not only the days until Opening Day (78), but also the number of days until the other days when I plan to return to Kings Island for processing (43), orientation (50), Rides General Knowledge class (57), and location training (date unknown at this time so no countdown yet). I'm still on Cloud Nine about the fact that the Kings Island Rides Department hired me two days ago and that I now have a job...the "Best Job Ever," to be exact!

Congratulations, Nick_Plummer! I've noticed others who've posted about which ride they're working this year have said they re on the Mystic Timbers crew. I think I'm the only one here who's working somewhere else, at least for now. What and how many levels of being a ride op are there? -BFF, with piqued curiosity.

That's great! What department did you apply for?

I will be 18 starting on February 25, so I'll be old enough to learn the controls. I'm not sure what my chances at drive training will be since I'm a first-timer, but if I do get trained to drive, a dream I've had since age 11 will come true!!

My interview was great! I was in a group interview with one other applicant with whom I worked together on the few activities throughout. They were fun! We were both hired! Savannah (the other applicant and my new co-worker) chose to work on the Drop Tower/Bat crew, and I chose...WindSeeker/Vortex! I'll be working my first job on Vortex's 30th anniversary crew!!

Should I bring anything to my interview (besides an enthusiastic attitude and the right attire )? Would it be worth taking a copy of my resume or is it not necessary?